Discussing Game of Thrones: Stormborn

Do You Hear the Little Birds Sing?

After adventuring around Essos for six seasons, Daenerys is ready to get down to business and conquer Westeros, and it shows in her no-nonsense, I-am-the-queen demeanor. You can’t really blame her for grilling Varys with some very tough questions, though, because he did hire an assassin to kill her and her unborn son under Robert Baratheon’s orders. Tyrion, once Varys’s traveling buddy, tries to stick up for him a bit. Varys admits that he’s served under some craptacular kings, but at the end of the day, he represents the common people, and he believes that their best chance is with Daenerys.

A Familiar Face Returns to Dragonstone

It’s Melisandre! And she apparently has a new gig as Jon Snow’s publicist, because she urges Daenerys to bring him to Dragonstone. Tyrion is surprised to hear that Jon is now King in the North, and he concurs that Jon would make a good ally. Daenerys agrees to summon him—to bend the knee before his queen. The scene cuts to Winterfell, where Jon, Sansa, and Davos ponder over the message from Dragonstone, with Davos making the very, very good point that fire-breathing dragons would be incredibly helpful against the White Walkers.

That’s Dickon with a “D”

In King’s Landing, Cersei tries to rally some of the Tyrell bannermen, including Lord Randyll Tarly, father of Sam. Cersei argues that Daenerys has already left a path of death and destruction behind in Essos, and she’ll do the same in Westeros, just like her father, the Mad King. Randyll asks how Daenerys’s dragons will be stopped, and Qyburn pipes up that they’re working on a solution. Possibly involving zombie dragons? That would be cool! After calling Randyll’s oldest son Dickon “Rickon,” Jaime speaks to Randyll privately and proposes that if House Tarly fights for Cersei, Lord Randyll will be appointed Warden of the South. Randyll doesn’t seem too impressed and says that the Tarlys aren’t oathbreakers or schemers, and he’s known Olenna Tyrell since childhood.

That’s Not Looking So Good

Last week, we saw a glimpse of poor Jorah’s greyscale-afflicted arm. This week, we see the full extent of his condition, and it’s not pretty. Jorah asks how long it’ll be before he loses his mind, and Archmaester Ebrose replies that it’ll happen in six months or fewer. Sam asks Ebrose about Shireen Baratheon’s case, but unfortunately, Jorah’s is too advanced. Ebrose informs Jorah that since he’s an anointed knight, he gets to stay one more day at the Citadel before getting kicked out. Sam asks if they should sent word to Jorah’s family, and that’s when Sam finds out that Jorah is a Mormont.

It’s a Giant Crossbow. For Dragons.

Qyburn takes Cersei to where the dragon skulls are kept. It’s pretty creepy down there even though the dragons are long dead, and the skull of Balerion the Dread is absolutely HUGE. Qyburn says that one of Daenerys’s dragons was wounded in the fighting pits of Meereen, and that information has been used to build a weapon that kind of looks like a huge crossbow? Cersei appears to be pleased. I’m no weapons/engineering expert, and maybe they don’t realize how big the dragons actually are, but how is this weapon supposed to get enough altitude to reach a dragon if it’s airborne? The dragons are also moving targets, and it’s not like you can reprogram the trajectory on this thing.

Be a Dragon!

At a strategy meeting, Yara urges hitting King’s Landing with all they’ve got. Tyrion, however, has a different plan. He argues that Cersei will be expecting the Unsullied and the Dothraki to attack King’s Landing; instead, they’re going to take her by surprise with a Westerosi army supplied by Dorne and House Tyrell. Grey Worm and the Unsullied are going to attack Casterly Rock. This shuts everyone up for a moment, and all present agree to the plan. Yara and her fleet will escort Ellaria and the Sand Snakes back to Dorne. Daenerys asks to speak with Lady Olenna alone and promises that Cersei will pay. Olenna says that Tyrion is a clever man, but Daenerys is a dragon, and she should be a dragon.

Forget About Holding the Door. How About Closing the Door?

Look, I’m very happy that Grey Worm and Missandei love each other, and I hope nothing bad happens, especially with Grey Worm leading the attack on Casterly Rock. But I was perfectly fine with the scene ending with their kiss. I couldn’t stop thinking that the door was open the whole time, LOLOLOL.

Just When You Thought You’d Seen Some Really Gross Stuff at the Citadel

Sam tries to talk to Ebrose about a possible treatment for Jorah but gets shut down because the procedure is forbidden. We see Jorah writing a letter to Daenerys; um, should he really do that? Wouldn’t the letter carry greyscale germs or something? Sam turns up in Jorah’s room and tells him that he knew his father, Jeor, Jon’s predecessor as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Sam unwraps some nasty looking medical instruments and explains what he’s about to do—cut off all of the greyscale. I couldn’t even watch this part and will assume it was as stomach-churning as it sounded.

Hot Damn, It’s Hot Pie!

Arya is taking a break from her journey to King’s Landing and overhears two men talking about the dragons. Guess who works at this particular tavern? It’s none other than Hot Pie! He’s talking about baking and Arya mumbles about not doing something and he asks her if she’s been making pies. Frey Pie joke! On a more serious note, Hot Pie asks Arya where she’s headed, and she says King’s Landing. Arya thinks the Boltons still have Winterfell, and Hot Pie fills her in on the Battle of the Bastards and how Jon is King in the North now. Detour!

Sansa Objects. Again.

Jon receives Sam’s raven from the Citadel about the dragonglass and shares the news about with everyone in the Great Hall. Not as warmly received is the news about Tyrion’s message and Jon’s intention to accept the invitation to Dragonstone. When objections start erupting around the room, including from Sansa, Jon tries to stress how much danger they’re in from the marching White Walkers and how desperately they need the dragonglass and any other help they can get. Davos is going with Jon, and in the latter’s absence, Sansa will be the Stark in Winterfell.

Littlefinger Gets Choked Up

Down in the Winterfell crypt, Littlefinger slithers in as Jon is standing in front of Ned’s effigy. Littlefinger is being is typically oily self when he gets super creepy, and maybe a little bit stupid, and says that he loves Sansa like he loved her mother. That prompts Jon to throw Littlefinger up against the wall and put him in a chokehold, warning Lord Baelish that he’ll kill him if he touches Sansa.

IT’S NYMERIA!

And the reunions just keep on coming! Arya is camping and notices her horse getting jumpy. She looks around and senses something out there, too. Suddenly they’re surrounded by a pack of wolves, and NYMERIA IS WITH THEM. NYMERIA. Arya finds herself face-to-face with her direwolf, and at first Nymeria bares her teeth, but she calms down when Arya starts talking to her. Arya asks her to go home to Winterfell with her, but instead Nymeria turns away with her pack. It’s a completely heartbreaking moment when Arya realizes that Nymeria is not her direwolf anymore.

The Family Reunion from Hell

Yara, Theon, Ellaria, and the Sand Snakes are sailing back to Dorne when fire starts raining down on their ships. Of course it’s crazy Uncle Euron, breaker of world records for rebuilding his own depleted fleet in no time at all. He even had some time to tell the shipbuilders to make his gangplank all scary looking. Euron is absolutely savage when he boards Yara’s ship. The fighting is intense! Yara tells Tyene to go below deck to keep Ellaria safe, but there are too many of Euron’s men for Tyene to fight. Ellaria tells them to kill her and her daughter, but they’re taken captive instead. No doubt Cersei is just waiting to exact revenge for Myrcella’s death. Back above deck, all of Yara’s ships are burning, and an endless stream of Ironborn fighting for Euron just keep boarding. The remaining Sand Snakes, Obara and Nymeria, try to take on Euron, but he’s brutal AF and kills both. Then it’s Yara vs. Euron. He’s wielding a wicked looking blade while she’s fighting with what appears to be a run-of-the-mill sword. She fights valiantly, but she’s no match for her uncle. Euron, now holding his blade at Yara’s throat, screams for Theon, who sees the carnage going on around him and has an utter meltdown. Abandoning ship, sister, and everything else, Theon jumps overboard

In the Next Episode

Euron returns to King’s Landing victorious. The Unsullied are on the move. JON MEETS DAENERYS!!!!!!

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comments:

I really liked Dragonstone and how they're portraying it. The pounding waves, the roaring surf... it just feels right. :) I did like the convo between Varys and Dany too, nice that she held his feet to the fire a bit. He's not used to people doing that.

I agree with you on the crossbow thing. It's silly lol. I suppose if the dragon stands there and waits they might hurt it with the thing, but it's not exactly an anti- aircraft gun ha ha. And Grey Worm- I can't really add anything to what you said lolol. I'm going to just leave that right there. *snort*

The greyscale was gross. Frickin show. LOVED seeing Hot Pie again though! "breaker of world records" NO DOUBT! Euron can do anything, be anywhere, it appears! A lot of people have been having fun with that online, pretty funny. Still, a pretty good episode.

Dragonstone has fast become one of my favorite sets. I love that they kept Stannis's war room pretty intact for continuity while also expanding to show just how epic the place is. All of those steps up to the castle make me tired just looking at them, LOL.

For a guy who brought The Mountain back as a zombie, I expected something a little more creative from Qyburn. Zombie dragons, at the very least, and not what he actually came up with.

The greyscale was one of the most disgusting things on the show, and I didn't even watch when Sam was cutting it out, LOLOL. I was so happy that Hot Pie made a return, and I love how everybody on social media started asking if Gendry's going to turn up next. I saw one funny meme that showed him rowing that boat and picking up Theon. XD

Euron must have had a fleet of super ships or something built because you're right- he's everywhere! And now the fleet (or maybe part of it? I have to rewatch this week's ep) is at Casterly Rock! I try not to think too much about how the show handles the passage of time, LOL.

Their passage of time sucks lol. Euron built 1000 ships, sailed to KL, ambushed Yara, went BACK to KL and oh some of his ships are at casterly too. lol and Gendry. I thought maybe he rowed to Slaver's Bay to get Daenerys, but found her gone- he's probably rowing back. :)

What I like about Varys is that everything he has done has been for the good of the realm. That has pretty much always been his position, and he wants to see the person who will be good for everybody sitting in the throne. Because while he was made to hire an assassin to kill her, he was secretly conspiring with Illyrio Mopatis to help her.

I see Melisandre has found her way to Dragonstone. I wonder if that was her first real stop, or if she stopped in other places along the way spouting visions and prophecies.

Lady Olenna's advice was the best damn advice she got all episode. I mean, she came to conquer Westeros and claim the Ion Throne. That is not going to happen with her being nice and docile, especially not with Cersei's increasingly unhinged ass currently occupying it. She's got three dragons...time to out them to work.

Missandei and Grey Worm....awww. They did need to shut the door though.

I don't think I ever expected to see Hot Pie again, but it was nice to see his face. And his enthusiasm at seeing Arya and delivering the good news about her home and family was infectious. It was nice to see him again, and I'm so glad it made Arya turn her ass around and head for home. It's been too long!

The reunion with Nymeria gave me chills. I was yelling at the screen! It was too bad,Nymeria didn't stay, but I figured she wouldn't. She's been too long on her own and has her own pack now. Later I read that Nymeria was a reflection of Arya. Arya was never the typical docile high lady. She was never really going to be domestic and it makes since that Nymeria wouldn't either. I do hope that Nymeria will end up showing up for Arya in a time of need though. We shall see!

Jorah...eeeuuwww!

Littlefinger....ughhh!

Theon, ever the coward. Ironic that he would work up the nerve to help Sansa, but did nothing for his own sister. Especially after she showed up for him time and again. Every time I try to start having a little sympathy for him he shits all over it. I was sorry to see the Sand Snakes go...they were awesome!

The scene between Arya and Nymeria was heartbreaking. I'd really hoped Nymeria would go home with Arya, but when I read the same thing you did about Nymeria's path echoing Arya's, them going their separate ways didn't crush my soul as much, LOL.

GoT has had some gross out moments, but the greyscale removal- OMFG.

The look on Yara's face when Theon jumped overboard.... I wonder if we'll find out what happens to her in the season finale?